U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current
Irene O'Brien
Irene A. O'Brien, 90, of Grand Island died Friday, Oct. 23, 1998, at the St. Francis Memorial Health Center of Grand Island.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Leo's Catholic Church in Grand Island. The Rev. Jack Rademacher will officiate. Burial will be in the Grand Island City cemetery in Grand Island.
Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m. Monday with a rosary at 7 p.m. at Apfel-Butler-Geddes Funeral Home.
Memorials are suggested to the St. Francis Medical Center Foundation.
Mrs. O'Brien was born on Oct. 23, 1908, to John and Mary (Popelka) Lacina at Schuyler. She grew up and was educated in Schuyler, graduating from Schuyler High School. After graduating, she moved to Omaha where she was in a secretarial business.
She married
George B. O'Brien on Nov. 15, 1929, at Papillion. After their marriage, the couple lived in Omaha and Council Bluffs before moving to Grand Island in 1932 where she had been a resident since.
She was a member of St. Leo's Catholic Church. One of her favorite hobbies was gardening.
Survivors include two sons, George P. "Pat" O'Brien and Jerry O'Brien, both of Grand Island; a daughter, Kathleen O'Brien of Denver, Colo.; eight grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren and a brother, John Lacina of Lansdale, Pa.
She was preceded in death by her husband and three sisters, Velma, Marie and Theresa.
Vencel Fryzek
ORD -- Vencel Fryzek, 80, of Ord died Thursday, Oct. 22, 1998, at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Omaha.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Ord Memorial Chapel. The Rev. Mike Chase will officiate. Burial will be in the Ord City cemetery with military rites by the Ord Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to the Nebraska Veterans Home.
Mr. Fryzek was born July 27, 1918, to Frank and Bessie (Fier) Fryzek on a farm near Ord in Valley County. He attended the Vinton grade school. In 1929 his family moved to Meadowlands, Minn., for a brief time, then returned to Ord, where he finished his education.
In 1942 he was drafted into the Armed Services being assigned tour of duty all over the South Pacific during World War II. He served for 15 years and was honorably discharged in 1957.
He returned to Ord to help take care of his parents and went into the painting business with his brother. When his health started failing he went to the Grand Island Veterans Hospital and later was transferred to the Nebraska Veterans Home in Grand Island in May 1982 and lived there for 16 years.
He enjoyed fishing, hunting and photography. While at the Veterans Home he spent many hours at the pond fishing and kept a record of his catches.
Survivors include one brother, George of Ord; three sisters-in-law, Vieva and Martha of Ord and Bess of Greeley, Colo.
He was preceded in death by three brothers, Frank, Joe and Jerry and two sisters, Bessie Burson and an infant, Anna.
Stewart E. Gallaway
LOUP CITY -- Stewart E. Gallaway, 86, of Loup City, died Saturday, Oct. 24, 1998 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the United Methodist Church in Loup City. Rev. Heidi Revelo will officiate. Burial will be at the Evergreen cemetery in Loup City.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday at Peters Funeral Home in Loup City.
Memorials are suggested to the Loup City EMTs or the fire department.
Mr. Gallaway was born Nov. 3, 1911 on a farm south of Loup City to John C. and Mary (Redden) Gallaway. He attended Sherman County rural schools and after completing his education, farmed with his family.
He married
Sadie Gray on Jan. 9, 1933 at Loup City. They lived on a farm west of Loup City where they farmed and ranched until retiring in 1978. At that time, they moved into Loup City where he worked for Loup City Livestock for a number of years.
He was a member of the United Methodist Church and the Loup City Saddle Club.
Survivors include his wife.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Martha Dietz; and five brothers, Clarence, Childs, Earl, John and Darwin.
Everett L. Neth
LEXINGTON -- Everett L. Neth, 91, of Lexington, formerly of Broken Bow, died Saturday, Oct. 24, 1998 at the Tri County Hospital in Lexington.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the United Methodist Church in Broken Bow. Rev. Cliff Reynolds will officiate. Burial will be in the Custer Center Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at Govier Brothers Mortuary in Broken Bow.
Virgil Ronzzo
BURWELL -- Virgil Ronzzo, 81, of Burwell died Thursday, Oct. 22, 1998, at the Nebraska Veterans Home in Grand Island.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at the Ord Memorial Chapel. The Rev. Keith Menter will officiate. Burial will be in the Cottonwood cemetery at Burwell with military rites conducted by the Burwell VFW Post No. 6155 and Burwell American Legion Post No. 298.
Visitation will be prior to service time on Monday.
Memorials are suggested to the family's choice.
Ord Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Ronzzo was born Aug. 8, 1917, to Herman and Nellie (Stump) Ronzzo at Burwell. His childhood was spent in the Burwell area.
He married
Elizabeth Shirley on Dec. 19, 1936. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in May 1942, serving in World War II until his discharge in October 1945.
He married
Rosalie Adamek on Aug. 20, 1946. He spent most of his life in the Burwell area. He worked construction as a caterpillar operator; he was a gravel pumper for Jeffres of Burwell and worked as a ranch hand north of Burwell. He had lived at the Nebraska Veterans Home in Grand Island for the last three years.
He was a life member of the VFW and a member of the Burwell American Legion Post No. 298. He enjoyed playing cards, fishing, trapping and the Burwell Rodeos.
Survivors include five sons, Monty of Grand Island, Larry and Bill, both of Ord, Kenny of Ohio and Jerry of Omaha; one daughter, Sheree (Mrs. Wayne) Brown of Ord; one sister, Violet Myers of Sargent; 12 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; two step grandchildren and three step great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by two sisters, one brother, one infant brother, one grandson and two granddaughters.
Helen Ann Zona
FULLERTON -- Helen Ann Zona, 68, of Fullerton, died Saturday, Oct. 24, 1998 at St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Bonaventure Catholic Church in Columbus. Father Anthony Espinosa and Father Tim Podraza will officiate. Burial will be at St. Bonaventure Cemetery.
Visitation will be held from 3 to 9 p.m. Monday at McKown Funeral Home and from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. A vigil will be held at 7 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to the donor's choice.
Mrs. Zona was born Aug. 24, 1930 in Polk County to Alex and Agnes (Kalinowski) Podraza. She attended rural county schools, Duncan schools and Scotus High School. She received her LPN degree from Platte College in 1969.
She married
Leo Zona on Sept. 10, 1951 at Duncan. They moved to a farm in rural Fullerton in 1953 and worked as a nurses aide. After receiving her degree, she worked as a nurse, director of nursing, and administrator at the Fullerton Manor, Cloverlodge Care Center in St. Edward and Litzenberg Long Term Care Unit in Central City. She retired in 1995.
Survivors include her husband; two sons, Rodney J. of Louisburg, Kan., Tim of Gretna; four sisters, Roberta (Mrs. Jerry) Kosch of Rockford, Ill., Jean (Mrs. Norman) Linse of Omaha, Gerry Liss of Omaha, Bridget Shearron of Hendersonville, Tenn.; three brothers, Jim Podraza of Hastings, Lou Podraza of Alexandria, Ky., Val Podraza of Orange, Ga.; three grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a brother, Stanley C. Podraza.
Ruby A. James
LINCOLN -- Ruby A. James, 83, of Lincoln, formerly of Grand Island, died Saturday, Oct. 24, 1998 at Haven House in Wahoo.
Services are pending at Apfel-Butler-Geddes Funeral Home in Grand Island.
